Tricia Noyola resigns as CEO of Denver-based charter school network Rocky Mountain Prep

A photograph of a woman speaking from behind a podium on stage with purple lights in the background.
Tricia Noyola speaks to graduating Rocky Mountain Prep seniors during a ceremony at the Denver Coliseum in May. Rocky Mountain Prep announced Wednesday that Noyola has resigned as CEO of the charter school network. (RJ Sangosti / Denver Post via Getty Images)

Sign up for Chalkbeat Colorado’s free daily newsletter to get the latest reporting from us, plus curated news from other Colorado outlets, delivered to your inbox.

Denver-based charter school network Rocky Mountain Prep announced Wednesday that CEO Tricia Noyola has resigned.

“The board respects Ms. Noyola’s decision to step down and appreciates her commitment to ensuring a smooth transition,” an announcement on the charter network’s website said, referencing the Rocky Mountain Prep board of directors.

Noyola did not respond to a request for comment. In the announcement, she said that Rocky Mountain Prep’s future “remains bright.”

“This network is filled with mission-driven, unstoppable leaders who will continue to carry our vision forward,” Noyola said. “I’ll be cheering from the sidelines and ready to celebrate the wins, carrying everything I’ve learned here into the next chapter of my life and leadership.”

Rocky Mountain Prep serves more than 5,000 students in preschool through 12th grade at 11 schools in Denver and one in Aurora. The network is the second largest in Denver after DSST.

Noyola was hired as CEO in 2021 following the departure of Rocky Mountain Prep’s founder, James Cryan. In 2022, Rocky Mountain Prep announced that it would merge with another Denver-based charter network, STRIVE Prep, the following year.

The merger posed some challenges, including high staff turnover. Some of the departing staff criticized Noyola’s leadership style. Board members praised her. Noyola told Chalkbeat in 2023 that “I may be demanding, but I always strive to be fair.”

In the announcement about her departure, Pat Donovan, chair of the Rocky Mountain Prep board, thanked Noyola for her service.

“Tricia’s leadership has positioned us well for the future, and Rocky Mountain Prep has never been stronger – financially, academically and culturally,” said Donovan, who is president of the advocacy organization Denver Families for Public Schools.

Donovan declined Wednesday to comment further.

Rocky Mountain Prep will name an interim CEO while it conducts a nationwide search for its next leader, according to the announcement.

Melanie Asmar is the bureau chief for Chalkbeat Colorado. Contact Melanie at masmar@chalkbeat.org.

The Latest

Less than a quarter of Westminster’s elementary and middle school students are reading and writing at grade level, according to 2025 state literacy test results.

Former Gov. Andrew Cuomo, who is running as an independent, and Republican nominee Curtis Sliwa immediately denounced Mamdani’s proposals and said they would expand gifted programs.

Students from Zeta Charter School in the Bronx were disappointed when their Capitol tour was canceled by the government shutdown. But they soon got an unforgettable civics lesson.

The school district and outside organizations are launching tools to make the process simpler but families say it’s still too complicated and stressful to navigate.

Building a new school library at William C. Bryant elementary took nearly a year and support from several community organizations. Now, students will have access to more than 5,000 new books.

Lawmaker says his proposal would improve transparency and turnout. Clerks say it will add costs and confuse voters.